Brian May leads anti-badger culling protest in London as pilots begin in two counties

QUEEN guitarist Brian May took to the streets of London today to lead a protest against a planned introduction of badger culling.

Brian May has been an outspoken critic of the Government's badger culling plans

The 65-year-old musician joined with about 2,000 animal welfare supporters on the march through Westminster to show their opposition to the cull, which the Government says is necessary to tackle bovine tuberculosis (TB).

Mr May handed a petition woth 234,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street, calling for the scheme to be axed.

Culling is due to start today in west Gloucestershire and west Somerset in pilots of the scheme.

Mr May said: "If the Government don't listen to us today the pressure will still be there.

"I think it would be easier for David Cameron to cancel it at this point, with some grace and clearly for the public good. I don't think there would be any shame in cancelling the policy because new evidence has come to light.

"It's not going to save money. I'm not the person who cares about money, I care about everything else.

"There is no scientific justification for it, there is no public backing for it, there's no moral grounds - but if it's not going to save the public money either then surely the foundations for this cull will disappear."

Experts, including scientists behind the long-term trial, have raised concerns that the policy will have "unimpressive" results in reducing TB and suggested that it does not make economic sense.

Animal welfare protestors descended on Westminster today

It has become increasingly apparent to me that, although we call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, we treat them appallingly.

Brian May

If the two pilots being launched today are successful, the Government plans to roll out culling more widely in hot spots for the disease - which can be transmitted from badgers to livestock and between cattle.

The pilots will also assess whether sufficient badgers can be killed in an area to have an effect in reducing TB in cattle, following a long-term study which found that culling 70 per cent of badgers in an area could reduce the disease in herds by 16 per cent.

The Government said the cull is necessary as part of efforts to stop increasing outbreaks of TB in dairy and beef herds, which saw 28,000 cattle slaughtered in England last year. Without action, infection and costs would continue to soar, officials said.

Labour, which opposes the plan, have tabled an Opposition Day debate for Wednesday.

The march - a few streets away from clashes between BNP and anti-fascist campaigners outside Parliament - saw young children leading chants, while older supporters also made their voices heard with loudhailers as they wound through Westminster in a stream of black and white.

A handful of large black dogs, with white stripes on their faces to resemble the quarry, walked obediently while young women tried to add a touch of glamour with customised outfits.

The march, though peaceful, was not without some drama, as a group of anti-cull protesters set fire to a pile of newspapers - causing smoke to drift over the grounds of the Houses of Parliament.

They chanted "your cull, your lies, your greed" and "shame on Defra".

Police officers arrived after a few minutes to put the fire out.

Mr May said: "It would be very rude of the Government to start a cull when there is a major debate coming up.

"Our point is to save wild animals from abuse and there is no doubt this cull is going to cause intense pain on a massive scale to badgers.

"You cannot call it humane, which is apparently what these pilot culls are about.

"It has become increasingly apparent to me that, although we call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, we treat them appallingly."